Tag Archives: crafts

RDP Monday: SPATTER…

I love this picture of Mickey Mouse seeing himself as Walt Disney in his version of the Norman Rockwell self portrait. I did this in counted cross stitch and when it came time to have it framed there was no question in my mind that this frame spattered with paint was perfect. It’s still one of my favorite cross stitches.

Here comes 2022…

Calendar pictures for 2022.

All pictures are of Martha’s Vineyard.

Photo A Day Challenge: Start with ‘M’…

Counted cross stitch map of Martha’s Vineyard

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My map of Martha’s Vineyard was my very first attempt at counted cross stitching back in 1993. Since then I have done at least 9 of these for family members and a few special friends.

 

 

This is my wall of Vineyard cross stitches, and it all started with that one map of the Island.

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https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/05/01/may-colors-and-letters/

 

Colorings…

A friend of mine mentioned that I hardly ever post pictures of my colorings, so here are just a few.  I love to color, it’s relaxing, creative and gives my hands something to do when I’m watching TV.  I use gel pens almost all the time but also colored pencils as well.

One of my most favorites is this heart one:

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Photo A Day Challenge: Patterns…

https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/03/01/march-photo-a-day-challenge-2/

 

 

Photo A Day Challenge: Grid…

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https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/03/01/march-photo-a-day-challenge-2/

Our Santa…

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My dad was a police officer in Newark, NJ. For many of his years on the force he worked in the Emergency Squad division. During the long hours between calls the guys would keep themselves busy in various ways like cooking. Near the Christmas holidays they always came up with a special project, like candle making for instance.

In 1956 they made Santas.  I still have ours.  Santa stands about 3 and 1/2 feet tall and is made from press board. After the outline was drawn the guys cut out the Santas and my dad set to work drawing the features, clothing and bag of toys.  At that point our Santa came home and my mother and I painted him.  I’m not sure how many coats of paint we used but Santa was spread out on our kitchen table for about a week before he was completely dry.  I don’t know what kind of paint we used either but here it is 59 years later and he’s not chipped or faded.  This was the only time I ever remember the three of us doing a family project together.

I love everything about this Santa, even the buttons being on the wrong side… but the thing I love the most is that he looks like my dad… a self portrait so to speak.

My creation

Below is my daughter Patty age 2 and 1/2 in 1966…… and her daughter (my granddaughter) Tiffany age 2 and 1/2 in 1991.

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Here’s to Christmas memories, old and new. ❤

Mine and My Mother’s…

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I’ve done a lot of these counted cross stitch maps of the Vineyard and each one has been for a special person. This particular one was for my daughter Patty for Christmas 2008. Imagine my surprise when I looked in a long forgotten box and found the one below done by another very special person in my life…

… my mother. She must have done this over 80 years ago and it is in amazingly good condition. Thank you mom for a beautiful surprise.

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Turns out we both did Gay Head Lighthouse …

Hers which has the light housekeepers house attached to it…

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mine..

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…which is part of the 5 lighthouses of Martha’s Vineyard

West Chop-East Chop-Gay Head-Edgartown-Cape Poge

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… which is part of my Vineyard counted cross stitch wall 🙂

dlg_ry021hpclfg1m98latomjr_rkunv1rvgvkcufitdg0bfuuxzhv1aoqyawc_qocp6oseyjyuw1_y_-xh3ai68jcx_mexcrcysbkez9oez4jcmlllwrjuccll0agwihqs0-d-e1-ft

🙂

Photo A Day Challenge (or week)…

I’m doing ‘photo a day’ weekly instead of daily. Here’s the challenge for the week of July 15 – 21.

15 – Relax  16 – Midnight Blue (lace shawl my daughter knitted)   17– Succulent (30+ year old aloe plant)  18 -Ceramic 19 -Waves  20 – Start with “E” (Espresso Love, my favorite place on MV for blueberry scones & coffee)  21 – Red & White

 

 

https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2018/07/01/july-photo-a-day-challenge/

Our Santa…

 

imageedit_49_4674214433

My dad was a police officer in Newark, NJ.  For many of his years on the force he worked in the Emergency Squad division.  During the long hours between calls the guys would keep themselves busy in various ways like cooking.  Near the Christmas holidays they always came up with a special project, like candle making for instance.

In 1956 they made Santas.  I still have ours.  Santa stands about 3 and 1/2 feet tall and is made from press board. After the outline was drawn the guys cut out the Santas and my dad set to work drawing the features, clothing and bag of toys.  At that point our Santa came home and my mother and I painted him.  I’m not sure how many coats of paint we used but Santa was spread out on our kitchen table for about a week before he was completely dry.  I don’t know what kind of paint we used either but here it is 61 years later and he’s not chipped or faded.  This was the only time I ever remember the three of us doing a family project together.

I love everything about this Santa, even the buttons being on the wrong side… but the thing I love the most is that he looks like my dad… a self portrait so to speak.

My creation

Below is my daughter Patty age 2 and 1/2 in 1966…

101_3819

… and then her daughter (my granddaughter) Tiffany age 2 and 1/2 in 1991.

101_3817

Here’s to Christmas memories ❤